Looking to discover the best that London has to offer? These cool London walking tours delve below the city’s surface to offer a different perspective.

London is vast and sprawling – to the point that it can sometimes feel unknowable.

Sure, you can see all the city’s biggest landmarks in a couple of days, but what if you want to get beyond that?

There’s no better way to discover London than hearing the stories surrounding the places within it – but where do you start?

Walking tours are a great way to get to know any city and London is no exception.

Even as a born and bred Londoner, I love taking walking tours to help me discover new parts of the city, or look at the places I’ve passed a thousand times with new eyes.

From Harry Potter to the Beatles or even discovering the role different locations have played in historical events – a London walking tour is a great way to immerse yourself in the cool, curious and sometimes rather peculiar world of the British capital.

City of London Walking Tour

St Paul’s Cathedral

A city within a city, The City of London is the historical centre of London and is home to some of the city’s most important landmarks. Dating all the way back to the Roman times, The City has been built layer by layer by the inhabitants of the past few millennia.

Where better to learn about the history of London than the Square Mile?

Learn about the stories of the Black Plague and the Great Fire of London as you wend your way between the area’s small lanes and alleys.

London’s Historic Pubs Walking Tour

Now, we all know London has great attractions like Hyde Park, Buckingham Palace and the Tower Bridge.

But you know what I think are London’s most iconic attractions? The pubs. From gloomy old boozers to flower-laden community living rooms, I just can’t get enough of them.

One of the (only) problems with London pubs is that the city just has so many of them, it’s hard to know where to start.

Well, a great starting point is this tour. It will take you to several historic pubs over two hours, and introduce you to the fascinating stories behind them. A great way to spend an afternoon, if you ask me.

Walking Tour of London’s Filming Locations

It’s not just me who thinks that London is a pretty awesome city. Plenty of directors have flocked to the capital to feature it in films and TV shows.

In fact, being a London local it’s hard to watch a movie without spotting some local landmarks in the background.

To find out more about London’s film appearances, you can join this fun two hour tour. You’ll be able to spot a range of famous backdrops from films including Batman Begins, Night at the Museum, and Wonder Woman.

Practical Tips for Booking a London Walking Tour

Free London Walking Tour vs Paid Tour

Another option that you might have seen is the so-called free walking tours of London. If you’ve travelled around much of Europe, then chances are you’re familiar with how these work – you turn up, go on a tour, and tip what you think is fair at the end.

These can be great fun if you’re on a budget, however there are a few downsides: namely that they tend to be really crowded, and often they give a more light-hearted overview.

I recommend choosing a guided tour as they are still affordable, but the group sizes are smaller and there are so many fun types to choose from.

Booking a London Walking Tour

You might be wondering where the best place to book London walking tours is. While it is possible to book some tours direct with smaller providers, I recommend going through a respected site like Viator, Virgin Experiences or Get Your Guide.

This way, you can compare lots of reviews, and also there is an independent customer service team to help you in the unlikely event that something goes wrong.